Tuesday, May 15, 2012

URAYASU, Chiba -- Same-sex couples will be
allowed to hold wedding ceremonies at several Tokyo Disney Resort hotels
and facilities, including in front of the enormously popular Cinderella
Castle inside Tokyo Disney Land.The move was pushed forward after same-sex
activist and lesbian Koyuki Higashi, 27, recently contacted the resort,
asking whether same-sex couples will also be able to take part in the
park's new plan that promotes weddings in front of the famous castle,
starting this September.

Resort officials, however, told Higashi that
although same-sex couples will not be exempt from the plan, one of the
partners would have to wear a groom outfit, because "other visitors will
also be watching."

Higashi posted a summary of the exchange on
Twitter, triggering an immediate backlash, including opinions stating
that the fantasyland's response was "disappointing."

A week later, Higashi was once again contacted by
resort officials, telling her that after confirming the circumstances
with the Walt Disney Company in the United States, they have reached a
decision that same-sex couples could hold wedding ceremonies at the park
wearing the same outfits.

The second exchange was once again put on display
on Twitter, this time triggering a wave of positive responses,
including some that wrote, "applause for a new step forward."

"Even though same-sex marriages are not legally
permitted, we reached the decision that wedding ceremonies can take
place," said an official with the resort's public relations department,
adding that female couples will be free to have their ceremonies wearing
wedding dresses, while male partners can both wear tuxedo's."Japan still lacks favorable projects when it
comes to sexual minorities, but the fact that Disney took this stance
publicly means a lot," Higashi said.

Higashi's girlfriend, Hiroko, 34, echoed the
activist in her thoughts, saying, "I guess that they anticipated claims,
but chose to go with the decision nevertheless, which makes me very
happy."

The two visited Tokyo Disney Resort on May 5 to
deliver a thank you message to Mickey Mouse. "We are a couple. We came
to express our gratitude," the pair said to Mickey, who apparently made a
banzai pose in response.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

The Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. --
An Orange County deputy has been arrested and suspended after
officials say he broke into a vehicle and stole cash outside Walt Disney
World's Hollywood Studios.

The sheriff's office reports that
other deputies had 40-year-old Kirk Smurawa under surveillance Tuesday
afternoon as he patrolled the parking lot. Deputies say Smurawa took a
purse from a minivan and then went back to his patrol car. The Orlando
Sentinel ( http://thesent.nl/Iz6yN6) reports he dumped the purse outside
the minivan a short time later.

When deputies confronted Smurawa, he confessed to taking the purse and cash from two small children's wallets.
Smurawa was charged with armed burglary of a conveyance and petit theft. He was released Wednesday on $5,100 bail.

Smurawa has been relieved of duty without pay, and his law-enforcement credentials could be revoked.Jail records didn't list an attorney.

--Project moves into resort construction phase --

(Shanghai, April 26, 2012) – At a ceremony held at the Shanghai Disney
Resort build site earlier today, the Shanghai Shendi Construction
Company Limited marked the completion of site formation work and handed
over two key land parcels to the Shanghai International Theme Park
Company Limited, one of the owner companies of Shanghai Disney Resort.
The handover ceremony was attended by representatives from both partners
of the joint venture, Shanghai Shendi Group and The Walt Disney
Company, as well as leaders from the Administrative Commission of the
Shanghai International Tourism and Resort Zone, and paves the way for
the next major phase of the project development, resort construction.

Extensive site formation is a key preliminary step in the development of
all new Disney resorts, to ensure a reliable platform for the future
installation and operation of the world's most advanced ride and show
systems, and to create and maintain a safe environment for future
enjoyment by the many guests who will visit the resort after opening.
Working in partnership with Chinese and Disney experts, Shendi
Construction Company Limited ("Shendi Construction") deployed
cutting-edge technologies for soil remediation and stabilization. Along
the way, Shendi Construction created new records for the scale,
efficiency and quality of the work completed, and have ensured that site
formation work for the resort's theme park and guest parking lot have
been completed on schedule and to the highest local and global
standards.

Targeted to open at the end of 2015, the resort will initially be
comprised of Shanghai Disneyland, a Magic Kingdom-style park that will
blend classic Disney storytelling and characters with new attractions,
experiences and entertainment tailored specifically for the people of
China, two themed hotels, a large retail, dining and entertainment
venue, recreational facilities, a lake and associated parking and
transportation hubs.

"Today marks a significant milestone in the development of Shanghai
Disney Resort. With great respect and appreciation, we acknowledge the
efforts of our partner, Shendi, to prepare the build site over the past
year, as well as the strong support from government. Their work will
ensure that the resort development continues to move forward on
schedule," said Bill Ernest, President and Managing Director (Asia),
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. "We are incredibly excited to begin
building the resort and to develop this world-class family vacation
destination in Shanghai, one of the world's most vibrant cities."

"With the successful completion of site formation work, we are now
preparing for the start of infrastructure construction on the theme
park," said Howard Brown, Senior Vice President, Project Development,
Shanghai Disney Resort. "We have a highly talented and experienced team
of Chinese and international Imagineers working in close cooperation
with leading local design institutes and construction companies to help
prepare for this next exciting phase, and we look forward to providing
more exciting updates on the resort development in the near future."